Stages of change: A poem

In her poem, Autobiography in Five Short Chapters, Portia Nelson describes the stages of psychological change with beautiful simplicity.

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Chapter I

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

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Chapter II

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

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Chapter III

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there.
I still fall in… it’s a habit… but,
my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

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Chapter IV

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

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Chapter V

I walk down another street.

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